Fave: Blues musicians and vocalists.
Least Fave: Family members.
I like taking pictures of nature but nature hated me. I took a photography class and learned a few tricks that took ordinary and made them a bit above ordinary. The biggest thing I learned was slowing down the shutter speed, this gave movement to water and let some of the things in shadows come through. Also having a selection of lenses helps now. I rarely use the 55-200 mm lens that came with my camera. My go to lenses are a couple of prime lenses (f28 and f41) and a couple zoom lenses.
I hate indoor photography. I really don’t have the equipment and my wife (an exhibited photographer in her own right) and I are not sure if we want to invest in the stuff to make it worthwhile.
I also dislike taking pictures of people: if you can’t see their face it’s slightly better. Speaking of waiting, I think I was in a mutual roadblock once on the Bright Angel Trail in the Grand Canyon where there was someone leaning against a formation I wanted to shoot, with his hiking partner sitting at the next turn. He didn’t move for around 5 minutes. Only when I said screw it and started shooting it anyway did he move. I think he was waiting for me to move so his hiking partner could shoot him leaning against the rock.
Two years ago I took one of my favorite shots, a weathered old “Mail Pouch” barn with a rusting 50’s pickup in front. I can tell you a lot about that day, who was driving, the conversation we were having, the other series of shots I took, but I didn’t know what road we were on.
Well this thread comes along & guess where I end up the other day? Yup, I now know where that barn is!
They’ve repainted it & put up new, now colored (apparently year-round) Xmas lights but the rusting pickup truck is still in the exact same place. The grass & trees aren’t green this time but that winter color, mixed with white (some remaining snow) & the truck in the new shot is rust & frost colored, which helps the barn in the middle pop with color. I think I may actually like the new shot better.
Thanks, guys!
A lot of photography is the stuff that ISN’T the photography. The pace and feel of different types of work is heavily determined by the stuff outside the camera.
Wedding photography heavily involves being able to wrangle groups of people, charm your clients, and keep other people to a timetable. At the same time, you need to be able to adapt to weird and fast changing lighting conditions. It’s hectic, varied, and can be unpredictable. I enjoy it, but the schmoozing aspects aren’t my strong suit.
Outdoor / landscape shooting is best suited for folks with patience. You can be stuck waiting a long time for the right light. I like it in small doses, but get antsy.
I prefer more controlled shoots, especially of people. I’ve been fortunate enough to book a few boudoir sessions, and I think it’s extremely rewarding. It can be a fun energy, and you’re collaborating in a very personal way.